The Critic
by Yorkie
Summary: Haruka/Michiru Michiru and an unwanted guest in concert.


SAILOR MOON, THE SAILOR MOON CHARACTERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE   
NAMES AND LIKENESSES ARE PROPERTY OF TOEI ANIMATION, NAOKO   
TAKEUCHI/KODANSHA, DIC AND OTHERS, THEY ARE NOT MINE.  
  
The Critic  
By Yorkie  
  
  
  
Michiru scowled as she read the review in the local paper.   
"Pretty, pleasant and predictable..."   
more than a slight bit of sarcasm entered her voice as she went   
on, "one could have the same experience if they stayed home and   
listened to a CD! Kaioh Michiru's performance was 'average'   
at best..."  
  
Haruka snatched the paper from her hand. "That's only one man's   
opinion."  
  
Michiru grabbed it back. "He's a music critic Haruka, and a very   
well known one at that." Her eyes scanned the article again. "This   
man could be the death of me."  
  
"Aren't you overreacting?" Haruka knew she was treading thin ice,   
Michiru wasn't taking the criticism with her usual grace. "You've   
never had a bad review before."  
  
"I wouldn't call that a bad review." Setsuna offered. "He did   
have a few nice words to say."  
  
Michiru glowered at her friend. "Is that what you call them?" She   
tossed the paper on the kitchen table and sat sulking over her tea.   
"I'm finished as a violinist." She stared into the dark hot brew.   
"I can be replaced with a CD."  
  
Setsuna and Haruka exchanged glances. Cheering their fellow   
senshi up was not going to be an easy task.  
  
"Let me see that." Haruka picked up the paper and read the   
review. It wasn't the worst review she'd ever read, but it was a   
bit harsh. Most critics adored Michiru's renditions, but this   
particular critic was looking for something new and different.  
He was in favor of musicians with a more 'artistic' edge. That   
description didn't apply to Michiru with her proper and traditional   
style.   
  
"Maybe you should show him how you can bounce a lemon off your   
violin while you're playing."  
  
Michiru looked up at her partner with blazing hot eyes. "Why   
don't I simply transform into Sailor Neptune while I'm at it?"   
The senshi rose from the table and strode angrily from the room.   
Haruka winced, she didn't mean to antagonize Michiru further.  
  
Setsuna shook her head. "She's very upset."  
  
"She's not used to having her talent questioned." Haruka rose.   
"And I wasn't much help."  
  
"Let's hope she gets over this before tomorrow night." Setsuna   
added. "Remember, you two have a concert."  
  
Haruka sighed. "How can I forget."  
  
  
Michiru sat in her studio staring at her latest painting. Maybe   
her art work wasn't as good as she thought either. Where were these   
doubts coming from? She'd never questioned her talent before.   
The girl opened the lid of her violin case and tenderly lifted   
the Stradivarius from it's velvet lining. Gingerly she placed it   
under her chin. She closed her eyes and drew the bow across the   
strings. The beautiful sounds of Bach issued forth.   
Her temper was soothed by the soft music and the girl started to   
feel more relaxed and calm.  
She finished the piece and turned to place the violin back in its   
case. That's when she saw Haruka standing in the doorway.  
  
"You play beautifully." The blonde said as she took her partners   
hand. "That critic is interested in electric violins and   
synthesizers, not the classics. What you give people is a feast   
for their souls, while he prefers junk food."  
  
Michiru giggled at her lover's kind words. She looked up into   
Haruka's face with open adoration in her dark blue eyes. "I love you."  
  
  
The next night Michiru stood behind the heavy red curtain at the   
concert hall. She was dressed in a very formal strapless black gown.   
Haruka wore her black tuxedo with a white ruffled shirt and bow tie.   
Both young ladies were the epitome of grace and elegance.  
  
The blonde peeked through the curtains. "It's packed."  
  
"Is it?" Michiru asked as she joined her partner. The two girls   
smiled at the each other. All those people had come to hear them   
play. Michiru could feel her self-confidence returning. What was the   
opinion of one man compared to the crowd taking their seats?  
  
"Michiru, look." Haruka nodded towards the front row. "Look who's   
come to see us." It was the horrid critic who had written the scathing  
review! The taller girl nudged her lover. "We have a few   
minutes, why don't you transform and 'Deep Submerge' his car?"  
  
The water senshi smiled at the thought. "Later, when he's in it."   
The two watched as the man took his seat in the front row.  
  
  
  
The curtains opened and the two senshi bowed to their audience.   
Haruka took her seat at the piano while Michiru placed her violin   
under her chin. Haruka nodded to her partner and the concert started.  
  
The critic sat with his hands folded in his lap, he tried not to   
yawn. It was more of the same boring rehash of classical music that   
he had heard a few nights before. Where was the creativity? Where was   
the style? Obviously not in this concert hall.   
  
A few of his fellow critics had harassed him for his article on   
Kaioh-san. "She is refreshing." They had said. "A true artist in   
her own right." Had been another comment. Never wanting to be called   
unfair, he had decided to give Kaioh-san the benefit of the   
doubt. Perhaps she was having an off night when he'd last heard   
her.  
  
  
Michiru closed her eyes as she played. The girl was determined to   
make a good impression this time, not one note was going to be off.  
Her concentration was broken by the sound of buzzing in her ear.   
She opened her eyes and saw a tiny black fly perched on the bridge   
of her violin. It simply sat there cleaning its legs. Michiru's eyes   
narrowed. The nerve of the dirty insect! Didn't it realize how   
important this concert was to her?  
The aqua haired girl jerked the violin slightly attempting to get   
the unwanted pest off her instrument.   
The blasted bug had the audacity to sit there and continue   
cleaning itself. This was too much for the violinist.   
She did the only demure thing she could do, she blew at it.   
The diminutive demon seemed to like it; the fly spread its wings   
and stared at the musician with all its beady little eyes.  
  
"You!" Michiru hissed under her breath. She jerked the violin   
harder this time and sent the annoying creature tumbling into one   
of the soundholes.  
  
The tiny insect didn't like this one bit. It tried desperately to   
escape its prison. The winged creature banged against the wood   
again and again to no avail. It buzzed madly each time it slammed   
into the sides of the violin.  
  
Haruka looked up from the piano and noticed her partner wasn't   
acting quite normal. She seemed to be taking tiny little jumps   
into the air. Well that was odd, Michiru normally stayed firmly   
on the ground during concerts. Suddenly and for no reason apparent   
to Haruka, Michiru spun around in a circle.   
What had gotten into her?  
  
Michiru was more than upset with the fiendish little monster that   
haunted her precious Stradivarius.   
She was no longer worried about freeing it, she was going to kill   
it! This was no ordinary pest, it was evil incarnate and it was   
trying to destroy her performance.   
She spun around again this time tripping over the hem of her   
billowing gown. The graceful senshi managed to regain her balance   
before she fell.  
  
Haruka eyes had become full circles while she watched in total   
disbelief. What was she doing?  
  
Suddenly Michiru stopped playing. She held the violin upside down   
and shook it violently. People in the audience gasped at the sight   
on stage. Haruka's fingers were poised above the keys of the piano.   
She had stopped the moment Michiru had. Now she sat wondering   
what her lover was going to do next.  
  
The always pleasant and correct senshi of the water held the   
violin over her head and stared inside.   
"Get out of there!" She seemed to be growling at the wood. "I'll   
rip you to shreds when I get..."  
  
"Michiru." Haruka called to her almost silently.  
  
The epitome of grace and elegance stared at her partner, a wild   
look in her eyes. Slowly it dawned on her that she was still on   
stage. Her mouth dropped for a moment.   
Recovering what was left of her demeanor, she placed the violin   
under her chin and nodded to Haruka to continue.  
  
The two continued the piece they had been playing. Michiru closed   
her eyes again and listened for the slightest sound of buzzing.   
After a few moments she was satisfied that the winged horror was   
gone.  
Haruka watched as a look of calm came over her girlfriend's face.   
Whatever had transpired was obviously over now. She was definitely   
going to question Michiru about her odd behavior when they got home.  
  
Michiru relaxed and allowed the music to flow through her. She   
was loosing herself in the piece when she felt the slightest tickle   
on her bare shoulder.   
Her eyes opened slightly but she could see nothing. Then she heard it,   
the hellish ghastly sound, buzzing. It was back!  
  
Her eyes followed the dark bug as it crawled across her bow.   
Faster and faster she played as she desperately tried to get the bug   
off her bow. She didn't notice that Haruka was trying very hard to keep   
up with her playing.   
The poor blonde watched as her fellow musician crossed her eyes   
and swatted herself in the nose.  
  
Michiru swished her bow around her trying to swat the fly. Beads   
of sweat had broken out on her forehead. After a few seconds she   
stood panting, her violin dangling at her side.  
She smiled stupidly at her shocked mate. "I got it." She   
announced proudly to Haruka.  
  
The audience sat riveted to the spectacle unfolding on the stage.   
It wasn't often that a well known musician had a nervous breakdown   
during a performance.  
  
Smiling merrily Michiru placed the violin under chin and winked   
at Haruka. "I got it." She repeated.  
  
Haruka smiled nervously back. "I…I'm glad for you."  
  
Joyfully, triumphantly, Michiru pulled the bow across the violin.   
She dove into the music playing with glee she hadn't felt in a long   
time. The victory was hers and she was elated. The young woman's eyes   
were sparkling, her face was flushed. She was almost giddy with   
excitement…then she heard it.  
  
"No!" She pulled the bow hard across the strings making a   
horrendous sound. People in the audience winced at the sour note.   
They were at the edge of their seats waiting to see what Michiru would   
do next.  
  
"It's alive!" She shouted into the air. "It's alive!" The   
deranged woman swung her violin wildly in the air trying to kill the   
nasty pest. She had chased it to the end of the stage when Haruka caught   
her around the waist. One more step and she would have fallen into the   
orchestra pit. "No!" She struggled against the strong arms.   
"You don't understand…" The green haired maniac argued. "its alive!"  
  
"Michiru…" Haruka started as she whirled the girl around to face   
her.  
  
"Aha!" Michiru exclaimed, the fly had landed on Haruka's tuxedo.   
She slapped her lover hard on the shoulder. Tentatively she looked at   
the stain on her long glove.  
"YES!" Haruka glared at the young woman. Michiru had the same   
satisfied look on her face that she did after a long night of love making.   
Her chest was heaving, her voice had dropped to a low purr. She stared   
evenly at the tall blonde. "Sit down Haruka."  
  
The blonde did as she was told. She took her seat at the piano   
and looked cautiously at the other girl. Michiru had lost her mind,   
she was sure of it. The pianist sat ready.  
  
"No." Michiru told her waving her bow at Haruka. Her partner   
lowered her hands to her lap and watched as the violinist once again   
tucked her instrument under her chin.  
Michiru pulled her bow across the strings, she played a tune of   
her own. It was wild and unrehearsed, matching the delirium that   
had taken place during the concert. When she finished, the senshi   
spread her arms apart. Bow in one hand, violin in the other and bowed.   
  
The audience sat dumbfounded for a moment. Then the critic in the   
front row jumped to his feet. "BRAVO!" He shouted at the top of his   
lungs. The rest of the people took their cue from him and applauded   
loudly.  
  
  
  
The next morning the three women sat at the breakfast table.   
Michiru was glowing over the review in the paper.  
  
"Wonderfully brilliant and innovative!" The print read. "You are   
right Kaioh-san, classical music 'is alive' when it is played by   
truly artistic musicians such as yourself. This is  
one critic who is very happy he gave the talented musician a   
second chance." Michiru finished the sentence and sat the paper on   
the table. She was clearly very pleased with herself.  
  
"All that because you were trying to swat a fly?" Setsuna asked.  
  
Michiru smiled smugly at the two other women. "I suppose my   
natural talent shows no matter what the circumstances." She took her   
tea and left the room.  
  
Haruka rolled her eyes. "Oh dear, she's going to be hard to live   
with for a while."  
  
Setsuna giggled. "I wish I had been there to see it."  
  
"I thought she'd gone insane." Haruka remarked. "She was   
aggressive and passionate…"  
  
Setsuna watched as the senshi got lost in her thoughts. "And?"  
  
Haruka took a sip of her tea and grinned evilly. "I think I'll   
leave our bedroom window open today."  
  
"Why?" Setsuna asked.  
  
Haruka shrugged. "A few flies might get in."  
********************************************** 


End file.
